Fuel distributor



Dec. 1, 1931. RC. PICKARD 1,834,730

FUEL DISTRIBUTOR Filed 001:. 3, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l A TTORNEY PatentedDec. 1, 1931 UNIT D! STATES PATENIi OFFICE FRANK o. PICKARD, or ERIE,PENNSYLVANIA, AssIeoR TO THE STANDARD STOKER COMPANY, INCORPORATED, ACORPORATION OF DELAWARE FUEL DISTRIBUTOR Application filed October 3,1930. Serial No. 486,081.

The present invention relates to fuel distributing means, for use inconnection with mechanical stokers. A

Itis an object of the invention to provide fuel distributing meansarranged to spread fuel uniformly and evenly and with a substantiallyequal classification of coarse and fine fuel over the entire firebedarea of a firebox.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a distributor plate,in a distributing means of the character described, that is simple inconstruction, functions efiiciently and is cheap to manufacture.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a distributor plate,in fuel distributing means of the character describedhav ing a novelconfiguration and design.

7 Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description, and from the claims anddrawings, in which Fig. 1 is a central longitudinal section of a portionof a locomotive with a stoker there for showing the invention in place;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an end view taken from within the firebox through the firingopening show ing the novel distributor plate;

Fig. 4 is a vertical cross section on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of the novel distributor plate.

For purpose of illustration my invention is shown as applied to alocomotive stoker, though it will become apparent as the descriptionproceeds that its application is not necessarily so restricted but maybeused equally as well with other'types of stokers. V Aportion of alocomotive is designated generally at at 11 its boiler firebox providedwith grates l2, and a backhead 13 with a firing opening l t'therein.

Fuel is delivered to the locomotive from a tender, not shown, bysuitable stoker mechanism, only so much being illustrated and describedas is essential'to a complete understanding of the invention. Theforward tu bular conduit section or riser of a flexible conduit systemof the stoker is designated as and extends to the firing opening 14 ofthe boiler. The riser 15 is carried from the backhead 13 by a supportingbracket 16 and terminates at its lower end in a spherical seat 17receiving the ball member 18 of a conduit section 19 leading forwardlyfrom a source of fuel supply.

From its lower end the riser 15 extends upwardly and forwardly, flaringoutwardly atits upper end, and communicates with the firing opening 14through its laterally spreading and substantially horizontal mouthportion 20. The mouth portion 20 is provided with the flanges 21 forattachment to the backhead by suitable fastening means, as by bolts, notshown. This mouth portion is formed with an upstanding wall 22 to whichis detachably connected the novel distributor plate indicated as a wholeat 23, which forms an extended floor portion of the riser and ex tendsthrough the firing opening into the firebox. Rearwardly of the plate 23and outside of the'firebox is a vertically disposed nozzle ordistributorhead 24 to which pressure fluid such as steam is supplied bya desired number of supply pipes 25. The distributor head 24 is providedwith openings or jets in horizontal alignment for emitting a fan shapedblast of fluid across the distributor plate 23; The jets 26 arepositioned a predetermined distance above the rear of the distributorplate as will be hereinafter described. The riser conduit 15 is providedwith a removable cover section 27 which may be hinged at its upper endand held in closed position by a latch 28, whereby access may be hadtothe interior of the riser conduit.

The distributor plate 23 is formed of a unitary casting and its topsurface is so configured and designed as to permit uniform distributionof fine and coarse fuel over all parts of the firebed area.

The central longitudinal portion of the plate 23 slopes upwardly fromrear to front forming the inclined plate member 29 which affords alonger trajectory for thefuel swept thereover. The inclined plate member29 is provided with a crown 30 extending along the longitudinal centerline thereof and on either side of the crown 30 the top surface of theinclined plate member slopes gently downward forming the sloping faces31 and 32. At the forward central portion of the inclined plate member29 and superimposed upon the crown 30 is an upstanding V-shaped block 33designed to deflect a portion of the fuel that would normally bedelivered to the front of the fire box and spread it over the sides andfront corners of the firebox. The front corners 34 and 35 of theinclined plate member 29 are slanted upwardly towards the front cornersof the firebox and form with the downwardly sloping faces 31 and 32 therearwardly diverging channels 36 and 37. I

On each side of the inclined plate member 29, there are formed intheplate; depressions or pockets 33- and 39 sloping downwardly from rear tofront. and merging rearwardly into the surface of the inclined platemember 29; The forward ends of the pockets 38- and 39 are arcuate inform curving laterally to the sides of the plate and forming with theplate the forwardly and laterally curved walls 40 andel. A portion ofthe fuel is intercepted by the pockets 38and 39 and is deflected'to therear corners of the firebox by the laterally curving walls 10 and &1.

It will be observed that the jet openings 26 are disposed at aheightabove the rearv of the plate 23 so that the center and zone ofhighest intensity of the blast strikes the large lumps of fuel that aredeposited about the crown 30 of the inclined plate member 29approximately in line witlrtheir center of gravity whereby they aregiven a maximum impetusand carried to the furthermostv areas of thefirebed. The lumps of fueldeposited.

onthe sloping. faces 31v and 32 of the plate member 29 on: either sideof the crown 30 will be'struck by the blast at point above their centerof gravity and will therefore,.not be given. as great animpetus and willnot be carried: into the firebox as great a distance. Thus the fartherto the sides that the fuel is deposited on the. sloping faces 31 and 32the less will be its impetus and, by such a graduation, lump fuel isdistributed uniformly and evenly over the entire firebed area. lowerpressure zone or outer periphery portion of the blast willstrike thefiner particles of fuel which do not require as great a projective'forceas the large lumps of fuel to reachthe forward portion of the firebox.

In. operation fuel is delivered through the riser conduit 15 over thedistributor head 24 onto the novel distributor plate 2 3 into the zoneof action of the single pressure fluid blast issuingfrom the jetopenings 26 of the distributor head. The greater portion of the fuel. isprojected. forwardly across the inclined plate member 29and otherportions are intercepted'by the pockets 38 and 39 and deflected to therear corners of the firebox by the laterally curving walls 40; and 4-1.A portion of the fuel deposited about the crown.

The I tions of fuel are projected into the firebox over the slopingfaces 31 and 32011 either side of the V-shaped block, with a graduatedimpetus as hereinbefore explained and spread fuel over the intermediateand rearward portions of the firebed.

t will be evident that. 11 have provided a novel fuel distributing meansthat is very simple in construction, is cheap to manufacture, andfunctions efficiently tov distribute fine and lump fuel evenly anduniformly over all parts of the firebed area.

I claim:

1. A fuel distributorplate for stokerscomprising an upwardly inclinedsection extending longitudinally forward through the central portion ofsaid plate, an upstanding- V-shaped deflecting abutment at the forward.central portion of said inclined section, and.

lateral deflecting means formed. with said plate on either side of saidinclined section.

2. A fuel distributor plate for'stokerscomprising an upwardly inclinedsection extending longitudinally forward through the central portion ofsaid plate, a crown extending longitudinally along the center linethereof, the top surface of said inclined section sloping downwardlyfrom either sideof said crown, and an upstanding V-shaped block at theforward central portion ofv said inclined section.

3. A fuel distributor plate for stoking mechanismcomprising an upwardlyinclined central section, the top surface thereof hav ing a crownextending longitudinally along its center line and sloping downwardly oneither side from said crown, an upstanding fuel deflecting abutmentsuperimposed on said crown at the forward central portion of saidinclined central section and pockets in said plate oneither side of saidinclined central section having forwardly and laterally curving walls.

4h A fuel distributor plate for stoliing mechanism comprising anupwardly inclined central section, the top surface thereof having acrown extending longitudinally along its center line and slopingdownwardly on either side from said crown, and the forward cornersthereof inclined upwardly forming rearwardly diverging channels withsaid downwardly sloping surface, an upstanding V-shaped block on theforward central portion of said inclined section, and pockets in saidplate 011 either side of said inclined central section having forwardlyand laterally curving, walls.

5. As a new article of manufacture an integral cast metal distributorplate comprising a central inclined section, an upstanding V-shapedblock at the forward central portion thereof and a crown extendinglongitudinally along the center line thereof, said inclined centralsection sloping downwardly from either side of said crown and inclinedupwardly at its forward corners, and pockets in said plate on eitherside of said inclined central section having forwardly and laterallycurving walls.

6. In a fuel distributing system, in combination, a distributor plate, adistributor head rearward of said plate, said plate comprising aforwardly extending and upwardly inclined section having a fueldeflecting abutment at its forward central portion, a crown extendinglongitudinally along its center line and upwardly inclined forwardcorners, and a plurality of jet openings spacedin horizontal alignmentin the front face of said distributor head arranged a height above therearward top surface of said plate so that the center of the blastissuing from said openings impinges against said inclined sectionintermediate its forward and rearward edge.

7. In a fuel distributing system in combination, a distributor plate, adistributor head rearwardly of said plate, and means for de-V liv'eringfuel onto said plate, said plate com prising a central inclined sectionhaving a crown extending longitudinally along its center line and topfaces sloping downwardly from either side of said crown, a plurality ofhorizontally aligned jets in said distributor head arranged a heightabove the rearward top surface of said plate so that the center of theblast issuing from said jets strikes the lump fuel delivered about thecrown of said inclined section substantially in line with its center ofgravity and the fuel delivered to the sloping faces at progressivelyhigher points whereby fuel is projected with progressively lesserdegrees of force.-

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

F. G. PICKARD.

